Safety Protocols

Here are a number of useful safety protocols for plastic surgeons, from the ASAPS Patient Safety Committee. Reproduced with the kind permission of Lorne Rosenfield, MD, Chair, ASAPS Patient Safety Committee.

LipidRescue™ – Treatment Algorithm For Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity (L.A.S.T.)
Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity (L.A.S.T.) can occur with any local/regional anesthetic nerve blocks, with the most common causative agent being Marcaine™ (bupivacaine). Both dosing errors and inadvertent intravascular injection can lead to L.A.S.T and cardiac emergencies. The method of LipidRescue™ has been proven effective as an “antidote.”
author: Sam M Sukkar, MD

“Common Sense” Guide for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Even though physicians are well aware of VTE, cases are still common after surgeries. The inclusion of all categories of plastic surgeries in scientific research doesn’t differentiate the risk factors. The use of a “Common Sense” system to evaluate the risk of the aesthetic patient separates the risk factors into three groups, signaling each group with a color indicating the attention level that should be given for each risk factor.
author: Jaime Anger, MD, Lorne Rosenfield, MD